Reno 2014 News

[GregP]

In case someone didn't hear, they had a bad day at Reno during the National Championship Air Races last Monday. Lee Behel, world record-holding pilot, former fighter pilot, and founder / president of the sport racing class was killed when his world record holding GP-5 racer suffered a massive mechanical failure on the backside of the course. From the descriptions given it appears that the GP-5 came apart in the air.

We'll miss him. He was a great stick and a very good guy. For those of you who haven't seen the plane, here it is:

In other news, Tom Aberle is going for his 11th Gold title in the biplane class. No other pilot in any other class has dominated quite like Tom has. Good luck Tom. Here is Tom's plane:

 

[FLYBOYJ]

come to the jet pits, I'm jet 10

 

[GregP]

Hi Joe,

Wish I was there but I'm still in Chino. Best of luck to your team. I'll be pulling for Riff Raff and Sean Cushing!

So far, you have a first, a first, and a fifth. Hope there's another first or two left in the team and am betting on you.

PLEASE tell us what happened to Lee if you know.

Best regards, - Greg

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Hi Greg - I dont think we'll get any highermbut you never know. Thanks fornthe support, I'll keep you posted about Lee.

 

[GregP]

For the sixth consecutive year your National Championship Air Race Unlimited Gold winner is Steven Hinton Jr. in Voodoo. That's four in Strega and two in Voodoo.

Go Stevo!

Yeah!

 

[BiffF15]

6 in a row is pretty cool!

 

[GregP]

The plane Joe is crewing for, Riff Raff, #10, piloted by Sean Cushing, came in 5th in Gold. Two of the L-39's were significantly faster than the rest, but it was a good effort and I hope they find a few mph before the next race.

Congrats, Sean, Joe, and team.

 

[GregP]

Here is a very neat clip from 30 years ago. You will probably never see the like again.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX7GdINzRus

 

[grampi]

For the sixth consecutive year your National Championship Air Race Unlimited Gold winner is Steven Hinton Jr. in Voodoo. That's four in Strega and two in Voodoo.

Go Stevo!

View attachment 272002

Yeah!

That's gotta be some kind of record...I've never heard of any pilot winning 6 Golds in a row!

 

[grampi]

The V-12s have been dominant at Reno for the last 15-20 years now...and I don't see that changing anytime soon...

 

[GregP]

See the second picture in post # 1 above.

10 Golds! Didn't get the eleventh .... due to mechanical issues. DNS.

But not in Unlimited Class.

 

[GregP]

Here's my own drawing for Stevo.

Go Stevo! Again!

 

[Von Frag]

That P-38, did it used to be owned by the CAF? Is it still flying today?

 

[GregP]

The P-38 that used to owned by Lefty Gardner (it was called "White Lightning" at the time) was involved in an off-ariport emergency landing and was damaged a bit. After Lefty died, the airframe was purchased by Red Bull and was completely rebuilt and now flies in Austria as the Red Bull P-38.

They didn't use a guy with the best skills in the business for the engines; I hope they don't have bad luck with the Allisons. The airframe is actually a later-model, a P-38L-5LD, but uses F-model cowlings for the sake of streamlining. It is highly polished these days and certainly looks good!

Here it is in it's current livery:

Good looking bird!

 

[GregP]

Grampi,

15 - 20 years in a row for the inlines? Check out the Championships for Rare Bear.

They won with a radial in 1972, 1973, 1974, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2003, and 2005. Pretty damned fast radial in anybody's book. The thing is, he can accelerate all the way through the race while the inles have to throttle back every 2 laps or so. They've had real issues with systems and crew for several years, but the Bear ain't done yet ... I'd bet.

If they ever get Shockwave flying, look out Mustangs!

 

[grampi]

Grampi,

15 - 20 years in a row for the inlines? Check out the Championships for Rare Bear.

They won with a radial in 1972, 1973, 1974, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2003, and 2005. Pretty damned fast radial in anybody's book. The thing is, he can accelerate all the way through the race while the inles have to throttle back every 2 laps or so. They've had real issues with systems and crew for several years, but the Bear ain't done yet ... I'd bet.

If they ever get Shockwave flying, look out Mustangs!

I didn't say "in a row", but yes, Mustangs have dominated the unlimited class for the last two decades or so...no doubt, Rare Bear has won more unlimited races at Reno than any other single plane...Mustangs however, have won more races as a plane make and model and I don't ever see that changing...the Mustangs just keep getting faster while Rare Bear is not...I know there are those who are holding out hope that RB will again return to it's glory days of old, but I think those days are behind them...

 

[GregP]

They're only behind because Rod Lewis won't let them run nitrous oxide. WHen Rare Bear was winning they used nitrous. They wouldn't ever SAY so, but the NO2 truck would stop by the pits after the race and run a line with SOMETHING in it to the Bear. Then, with about 2 laps left, the exhaust would turn dirty brown and the speed would take a jump.

Hhhmmmmm ... let's see ... maybe nitrous? Naahhhhhh .....

 

[grampi]

They're only behind because Rod Lewis won't let them run nitrous oxide. WHen Rare Bear was winning they used nitrous. They wouldn't ever SAY so, but the NO2 truck would stop by the pits after the race and run a line with SOMETHING in it to the Bear. Then, with about 2 laps left, the exhaust would turn dirty brown and the speed would take a jump.

Hhhmmmmm ... let's see ... maybe nitrous? Naahhhhhh .....

I disagree...they're behind because the Mustangs today are simply faster than they've ever been...even when Rare Bear was still using No2 they weren't running the lap speeds that Strega, or the now retired from racing Dago Red have run...and I suspect Voodoo is also capable of running those speeds...

 

[FLYBOYJ]

They're only behind because Rod Lewis won't let them run nitrous oxide. WHen Rare Bear was winning they used nitrous. They wouldn't ever SAY so, but the NO2 truck would stop by the pits after the race and run a line with SOMETHING in it to the Bear. Then, with about 2 laps left, the exhaust would turn dirty brown and the speed would take a jump.

Hhhmmmmm ... let's see ... maybe nitrous? Naahhhhhh .....

AFAIK The Rare Bear team never hid the fact that they were running Nitrous. John Penny has mentioned it several times in speaking engagements and has been quoted in articles.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

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